Shloka 41

भृगु–भरद्वाजसंवादः: वर्णभेदस्य कर्माधारितव्याख्या

Bhrigu–Bharadvaja Dialogue: A Karma-Based Account of Varṇa

Devanagari script

न केनचित्‌ प्रवादेन सत्येनैवापहारिणा । धर्मायोत्तिष्ठ विप्रर्षे नात्मानं त्यक्तुमहसि

Transliteration

na kenacit pravādena satyenaivāpahāriṇā | dharmāyottiṣṭha viprarṣe nātmānaṃ tyaktum arhasi ||

Translation

Bhishma dit : «Ne t’abandonne pas toi-même (ne songe pas à quitter la vie) à cause d’aucune accusation—fût-elle vraie et capable de te dépouiller de ton honneur. Ô brahmarshi, relève-toi pour le dharma ; tu n’es pas fait pour te renier. Tiens-toi ferme dans la conduite juste, plutôt que de céder au désespoir ou à l’opprobre du monde.»

Word by Word

• {'na': 'not', 'kenacit': 'by anyone

• by any person', 'pravādena': 'by rumor, slander, public report, accusation', 'satyena': 'by truth

• even if true', 'eva': 'indeed

• even', 'apahāriṇā': 'that which takes away/robs (honor, status)

• depriving', 'dharmāya': 'for dharma

• for righteousness/duty', 'uttiṣṭha': 'rise

• bestir yourself', 'viprarṣe': 'O viprarshi/brahmarshi

• O sage among Brahmins', 'na ātmānam': 'not yourself', 'tyaktum': 'to abandon

• to give up (life/self)', 'arhasi': 'you ought

• you are fit/entitled (here: you should not)'}

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

One should not abandon life or duty out of shame caused by accusation or loss of social standing—even if the charge is true. The higher path is to rise and act for dharma with steadiness and self-restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Shanti Parva, Bhishma instructs a brahmarshi-like interlocutor, urging him not to succumb to despair over damaging public report, but to stand up and pursue righteous conduct.